Regent: 24 Thousand Vulnerable Workers in Raja Ampat Join the Social Security Program

The Raja Ampat Regency Government held a signing of a memorandum of understanding between BPJS Employment at the Regent's Office, Friday (20/2/2026).

SORONG - Raja Ampat Regent Orideko Iriano Burdam stated that as many as 24 thousand vulnerable workers in Raja Ampat Regency have now received employment social security protection through cooperation between the local government and BPJS Employment.

According to Orideko, this protection targets workers who are not wage earners, including informal workers and people with irregular incomes who have not been fully covered by social security programs.

"This is a form of the presence of the local government to ensure that small communities have certainty and a sense of security in their work," he said in Sorong, Saturday.

He explained that participation in the employment social security program provides protection against the risk of accidents at work or death, so as to prevent the emergence of new economic burdens for the workers' families.

He said, protection for vulnerable workers had been stated through the signing of a MoU between the Raja Ampat Regency Government and BPJS Employment as well as the handover of the Death Guarantee Program (JKM) benefits to a number of heirs each worth Rp. 42 million on Friday (20/2).

The compensation was given to Frans Neles Rumbara (village apparatus Mnier), Obed Makusi (recipient of membership dues from Kampung Yesner), and Dora Agata Sanoy (recipient of membership dues from Kampung Wawiyai).

He added that the expansion of participation in the employment social security is part of the commitment of the local government in strengthening the social safety net and improving people's welfare.

Meanwhile, the Head of the BPJS Manpower Branch Office of Raja Ampat, Fahd Afkar, hopes that the synergy with the Raja Ampat Regency Government can continue and the coverage of protection for vulnerable workers will be wider in the coming years.

He assessed that this step is one of the important strategies in regional development, especially to ensure that economic growth goes hand in hand with inclusive social protection.